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The Art of Shred: RAMPing Up Creativity

Mar 13th 2014

Photo by Stephanie Nitsch.

Calling all artists! RAMP Sports, the Park City-based manufacturer of eco-friendly skis and snowboards, is holding an Art of Shred contest for recreational artists and local hobbyists looking to dabble in creativity and recycling. The grand prize? The feel-good effects of saving the planet from excess landfill, of course. Oh, and a free ski or snowboard setup (complete with bindings/poles), courtesy of RAMP.

From its inception, RAMP Sports has made art a priority. In fact, the word makes up one-quarter of the brand’s acronym (Riders Artists Musicians Project). So it was only a matter of time before the ski and snowboard company began reaching out to artists directly. “We want to give back to the community in a cool, creative way. We’re all about doing things differently,” says Vanessa Pierce, communications director at RAMP.

A lot of RAMP’s differences start at the manufacturing level. Non-toxic resins, sustainable materials and an aggressive recycling program are just a few ways in which they approach a green business model. “Anytime you can repurpose rather than recycle, you’re reducing your carbon footprint,” Pierce says. “We have endless waste. It’s either put it to good use or recycle [at a special facility in Denver]. There are no other options.”

RAMP's material ready to be repurposed, photo by Stephanie Nitsch.

Take, for instance, RAMP’s massive yeti sculpture, created last summer by a contingency of local artists going by the (fortuitous) name of Yeti Collective. The 50-foot-tall creature looms over the company’s headquarters in Silver Springs and was built entirely from RAMP’s scrap material. Even its existence serves a greater mission than simply being an aesthetic landmark. Next week, the yeti’s arm will be retrofitted with a ski ramp and become the drop-in zone for an “urban” rail session with a few pro skiers.

RAMP's yeti lighting up at night, photo courtesy of RAMP.

The Art of Shred contest, however, doesn’t require such large-scale artistry: just a little ingenuity and a quick stop at the Park City factory. (Art submissions must be made with RAMP’s ski and snowboard waste.) Rummage through a pile of old skis, FSC-certified bamboo strips, Kevlar scraps, carbon tape, fiberglass material, colorful topsheets, trimmings from snowboard molds or any other factory leftovers—it’s all yours for the taking—and let your imagination run wild.

Photo by Stephanie Nitsch.

Applicants must post a photo to RAMP’s Facebook page to qualify, but there are no other restrictions on your masterpiece. If it can be mounted to the wall, RAMP will gladly display it in their factory and even help sell it on your behalf.

The Art of Shred contest runs through Apr. 30. The winner will be selected May 5. Materials may be picked up at the RAMP Sports factory between 9-11 a.m. (Mon. – Thurs.) or 3:30-5 p.m. (Wed. – Thurs.).